MIAMI — Miami’s city government is studying the possibility of taking people experiencing homelessness off the streets and moving them to a city-sponsored encampment on Virginia Key.
Commissioners on Thursday will discuss a list of five locations where the city could build a “transition zone” that would include temporary shelters and access to social services for people living on the street. Commissioners have for years debated how to address homelessness in Miami. In recent years, the city has taken steps to make it harder for people to live in public spaces, outside of a shelter.
The latest idea would have the city move homeless people away from densely populated areas such as downtown, Overtown and Little Havana. The commission asked city staff to develop a concept for a space where homeless people could be temporarily housed. The top choice recommended by City Manager Art Noriega’s staff was the northern tip of Virginia Key, on a swath of land near the Virginia Key Outdoor Center and biking trails.
